Electric connecter



Jam n. 319

C. I. WELLE ELECTRIC CONNECTOR,

Filed Aug. 20, 1919 ZZe,

Patents Jan. 1, I924.

siren stars CARL I. WILLE, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR T0 METAL SPEGIALTI M ares PATENT @FFEQE.

TUBING CQIMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPOTION 0F ILLINQIS.

ELECTRIC CONNECT.

Application filed August 20, 1919. Serial No. 318,995.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CARL I. WILLE, a citizen ofthe United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Electric Connecters, of which 7 the following is a specification.

This invention relates particularly to electric connecters, such as are used for connecting electric conductors together, or for the connecting of electric conductors to any electrical device, such as an electric lamp, or other electrical device.

The primary object is to provide a connecter with an improved switch device, whereby the circuit may be established or broken with facility, as desired.

The invention defines a useful application to a connecter provided with a socket for receiving an electric light bulb, especially where the bulb is not readily accessible, as, for illustration, in the dash-lamp of an automobile, which is provided with a reflector which houses the bulb.

In some constructions, provision is made for turning the bulb aboutits axis to turn the light on" or off. This method is also objectionable, however; and it is impracticable in situations where the bulb is not readily accessible. In Berg, No. 1,271,999, granted July 9, 1918, is shown a dash-lamp, the connecter of which is provided with an oscillating switch disk, which serves to connect and disconnect the contacts of the connecter with the contacts of the lamp.

In the present invention, provision is made for retracting one of the contact members of the connecter, to throw the same out of contact, for instance, with one of the contacts of a socket-portion of the lamp.

The invention is illustrated, in its preferred embodiment, in the accompanying drawing, in which- Fig. 1 represents a broken sectional view of an automobile dash, equipped with a dashlamp in connection with an electric connecter constructed in accordance with my invention; Fig. 2, a rear end view of the connecter, Fig. 3, a vertical sectional view of the improved dash-lamp; Fig. 4, a transverse section as indicated at line 4, Fig. 3'; Fig. 5, a plan view of the dash-lamp, the stem of the switch handle being shown in section,

connecter, theswitch handle being shown brokenly.

In the construction illustrated, A repre sents the improved connecter, which, in this form, is adapted to be mounted upon an automobile dash, and which is shown equipped with a reflector or guard A; B, a lamp, or electric bulb, and movably mounted in one end of the connecter A; and C, a dash of an automobile body, to which the connecter A is shown attached.

In the construction illustrated, the connecter '11. comprises a metal shell, or sleeve, 1, one end of which is provided with a bayonet slot 2 for securing the lamp B, and the other end of which is fitted with a plug 3, of insulating material, which is equipped with spring contacts 4 and 5.

The shell 1 is shown equipped at its outer end with an annular socket-member 6, which carries the reflector A and at its inner end with a flange 7, by means of which the dashlamp may be secured to the dash 0.

The plug 3 is secured in the rear end of the shell 1; and the shank of the lamp B is adapted to fit into the front end of said shell which thus serves as a socket for the lamp.

The lamp is provided at the rear end of its shank with contacts 8.

The plug 3, which is of insulating material, is secured in the shell 1 by means of a transverse pin 9, or in any other desired manner. The spring contact 4 is of the usual form of spring contact, being mounted in a metal sleeve A, provided at its rear end with a socket 1 adapted to receive an electric conductor. The spring contact 5 is similar,-but preferably made 0 somewhat larger diameter. The contact 5 is mounted in a metal sleeve 5 which is provided at its rear. end with a socket 5 -for connection with an electric wire. Springs 4 and 5 serve to project the contact members. The contact member 5 is rotatable on its own axis. It is adapted to be turned on its axis by means of a switch-handle 10 which has a reduced portion 10, whoseinner end is threaded and screwed into a longer tap ed opening with which the spring-projecte plunger 5 1s rovided. The reduced portion 10' of the andle 10 extends through a cam slot llwith.

lift-.1

which the-shell 1 is provided. The plug 3 and one side of the sleeve '5 have a portion of one wall cut away, forming a wide slot 12 intersecting the bore of the sleeve 5, in which the plunger 5 is mounted. The slot 12 is of sufiicient dimensions to permit the stem 10 of the handle 10 to move downwardly and swing about the axis of the plunger 5, as the shank 10 of the handle l0 moves in a cam slot 11 of the shell 1.

In Fig. 1,- there are shown conductors 13 and 14, which are secured in the sockets 5 and 4, respectively, as by means of screws 15. The cam slotll is in the form of a spiral or inclined slot, affording an inclined wall 11 against which the stem l0 works when the switch is turned, thus causing the plunger 5 to be retracted and withdrawn from contact. At the lower or back portion of the inclined slot is an offset, or recess, 11, adapted to engage the stem 10 and hold the plunger 5 in a retracted position, or out of contact. Assuming the plungers 4 and 5 to be in the extended position, they are presesd back by the lamp when it is entered in its socket. This causes the contracted stem 10 of the handle 10 to move downwardl in an inclined position as in the inclined s 0t and occupy the position indicated in Fig. 5. when the contact is to be broken, the switch is operated by a handle 10 and the stem 10 is turned into engagement with .the ofi'set, or notch, 11*, thus holding the contact 5 in the retracted position.

Ihe construction described is simple, inexpensive, and affords a convenient switch.

It will be understood that one of the contacts of the plug 3 may be grounded, if desired, as where the device'is used in a onewire system. Where the dash-lamp is mounted on a metal dash, the grounding may occur through the stem 10 and shell 1; and this may be supplemented by grounding the wire 13. v

The foregoing detailed description has been given for clearness of understanding only, and no unnecessary limitations should be understood therefrom, but the appended claims should be construed as broadly as permissible, in view of the prior art.

emme What I regard as new and desire to se-' cure by-Iletters Patent, is

1. In a device of the character set forth, the combination 'of a shell having one end constructed to serve as a socket, said shell being provided with acam slot, a plug of insulating material in said shell, contacts in said plug comprising metallic sleeves affording spring sockets, springs in said sockets, and plungers above said springs, one of said sleeves having a cutaway wall, and a stem projecting laterally from the corresponding plunger through said cutaway wall and working in said cam slot, whereby the plunger may be retracted by rotating it on its own axis.

2. In a device of the character set forth the combination of a shell having one end constructed to serve as a socket, said shell being provided with a cam slot, a plug of insulating material extending into said shell from the other end thereof, sleeves extending through said plug'and adapted to serve as sockets for springs and plungers, said sleeves bein provided with means for attaching conductors thereto, springs in said sleeves, plungers in said sleeves bearing against said springs, one of said sleeves being cut away, and a stem projecting laterally from the corresponding plunger through the cutaway wall of said sleeve and working in said cam slot, whereby the plunger may be withdrawn by rotating upon its own axis. y

3. In a device of the character set forth,

. the combination of a shell having one end.

be withdrawn by rotating it on its own axis.

CARL I. WILIJE. 

